Seal.



E. E. EBY.

SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEc.29, I9I5.

1,281,917'.v Patented oet. I5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fiqf5.

INVENTOR Earl E.l Eby.-

WITNESSES z UNITED STATES PATENT oEEoE.

EABL E. EBY, OF WILKINSBULRQ, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELEC- TRIO AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION'OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SEAL.

Speoioatxon ot Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15,1918.

Application illed December 29, 1915. Serial No. 69,197.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EARL E. EBY, a citi- -zen of the United States, and a resident of a side view, partially in section and partially in elevation, 0f a vapor converteriembodying a preferred form of my invention. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are side views, partially in section and partially in elevation, of modifications of the seal shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a side view, partially insection and partially in elevation, of a radically different 'type of converter from that shown in Fig. 1 but still embodying my invention.

In the construction of vapor converters and like apparatus, it is customary to `employ metal containers because of the mechanical strength and heat-radiating properties thereof and to introduce electric current Within said containers by means of 'suitable leads projectingthrough, and insulated from, the walls. It is further customary to operate apparatus of the character described with a hlgh degree of Vacuum within said container, and considerable diiliculty has 4 been encountered in maintaining a tight insulating joint about said current leads under the joint action of mechanical blows, of expansion and contraction due to extreme heat changes and of the high degree of vacuum within the container. I find that, by producing suitable metallicv deposits upon a bushing of vitreous insulating material, such, for example, as porcelain and, by then soldering or brazin the wall of the container and the leading-in wire to'said de posit, an extremely tight and effective joint ma be produced.

geferring to Fig. l of the accompanying drawing for a more detailed understanding of my invention, I show the bod of the container of a vapor converter of t e metalcase type at 1, said body being surmounted by a cover 2 attached thereto by any suitable means, as by welding or soldering, as indicatedA at 3. An anode 4 projects through' said cover 2 and is insulated therefrom by a suitable bushing 5 constructed preferably' of porcelain. A liquid cathode 6 lies in the bottom of the container 1 and a power arc flows through said device between said electrodes in the usual manner, the cathode 6 being maintained in an active condition by any suitable means, such, for example, as a keepalive circuit 7.

The cover 2 is provided with an upwardly l extending flange 8 of tapering thickness, closely surrounding the lower portion of the bushing 5 and, in like manner, the stem 9 of the anode 4' is provided with a downwardly extending flange/1,3710 of tapering thickness closely surroundii'glthe upper por.

tion of the bushing 5. The bushing 5 is providedwith two circumferential bands of closely adherent metal, shown in exaggerated section at 11-11 and 12-12, at the points of attachment to the fianges 8 and 10. Said bands of metal may be produced in a great `number of ways but I preferably employ therefor either a deposit produced froml an ammoniacal silversolution, as in the ordinary process of silveringmirr'ors, or a luster of metal as is employed in the decoration of china-ware. Said lusters are produced by-painting the so-called ceramic lustrous pre arations of metal upon the insulating o y in question and then applying heat, whereby a chemical decomposition ensues and the desired metallic deposit is produced. Said lustrous preparatlonsreferably embody resin-acid or sulfurize resinacid com ounds ofthe desired metals, being produce by the decomposition of metal chlorids by eating them with lavender oil, as is well known in the ceramic art.

While I have described some preferred methods of roducing the metal body in cplestion, it s ouldl be distinctly understood t at I am not restricted thereto but may employ y of the well known methods of producing like results.

vHaving deposited the bands 11-11 and 12--12 upon the bushing 5, the surfaces thereof may be tinned in order to facilitatemay be omitted. The seal is then assembled in the form shown and molten solder flowed into the spaces `.intervening between the flanges 8 andvlO and the bushing 5, whereupon an exceedingly intimate connection is produced between said bushing is highly suitable for resistingboth leakage and mechanical stress. Ifa deposit of.

contraction are 'avoided' and a tightv seal is v maintained.- Furthermore, by forming said flanges of relatively thin material, little difficulty is encountered in applying s'uilicient heat to the soldered or brazed j oint without injuring neighboring parts.

In the form of my mvention 'shown in AFig. 2, the cover 2 of a vapor converter is provided with an opening in which is seated a bushin 13 constructed preferably of porcelain. anode stem 9 projects through the bushing 13 and isprovided with an enlargement 10 at its upper end overlying the upper end -0f the bushing 13. The portion 10 of the anode stem 9 is soldered, or otherwise attached, to the bushing 13 by a llet 14, and in like manner, the bushing 13 is soldered to the cover 2 by a fillet 15. All porcelain surfaces underlying said fillets are rovided with metallic deposits, as hereinefore described.

Where excessive expansion and contraction occur, as, for example, when excessive tem erature changes are encountered, a joint of t e character provided by the fillet l5 in Fig. 2 may be pulled apart by differentialv expansion. Under these conditions, a structure such as shown in. Fig. 3 may be employed wherein the bushing 13 is attached tothe cover 2 by a cap member 16 circumferentially corrugated, as shown, soldered'to the cover 2 at 17 and to the bushing 13 at 18.

The form of my invention shown in Fig. 4

is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 except that, instead of applying the solder in the crm of a fillet, the entire seal is heated to a temperature above the fusing point of the solder employed and the solder is then flowed in between the members to be joined, as shown at 19 and 20.

My invention is readily applicable to containers formed from a metallic cathode bowl surmounted by a porcelain dome which is provided with anodes, this particular type of apparatus having rst been disclosed 1n U. S. Patent to Peter' Cooper-Hewitt, No.

1,110,546. I showv a device of this character in Fig. 5 wherein a metallic bowl 21 is closed and saidflanges and a resultant joint formed which porcelain flain, and I find that by a dome or cover 22, constructed prefera ly of quartz, porcelain, or lava. The members 21 and 22 are joined by soldering, as disclosed in this application, and lthe member 22 su ports three anodes 23, 24 and 25, being pre erably soldered thereto in order to secure a tight and effective seal. By

placing a cathode 26 in the bottom of the bowl 21, an inexpensive and serviceable converter is provided.

By an extension of the same principle, I may, if desired construct the entire container of ava or porcelain, as is disclosed in U. S. Patents to Dempster 953,598 and Ha den v1,047,520, suppl mg current to each o the so dered leading-in wires, and,

electrodes b yif desired, joining diierentparts of the insulating container itself by soldering or brazin Furt ermore, my invention is capable of wide application in the arts in joinin insulating members together, or to meta as, for exam le, in the construction of built-up line ators.

I am not in a osition-to state definitely the exact relations ip between a body of porcelain with a glaze thereupon and an additional metallic deposit as employed in m invention. Whether the' metallic lm ads: heres to the surface of 'the laze or whether, at the temperature employed in precipitating the metal, the glaze is softened and the metallic .particles are embedded therein, it is impossible to determine at present. I am inclined to believe that the latter action is present and, consequently, when employing rovided with an extremely refractory g aze, somewhat better results may be 'obtained by first spreading thereu n a less refractoryglaze, causing the sai two .layers of glaze to coalesce by fusion and, if

necessary, by repeatin said process until a Afinal-layer of glaze is o tained which is su- .ciently fusible to soften at the temperature at 'which the metal deposit isl formed. In this '.manner, a compound or graded glaze is formed which closely unites a metallic depositwith porcelains of the most refractory type.

I may, if desired, em loy unglazed porcee lustrous reparations employed, especially when of httle viscosity, impregnate to a considerable `distance thereintoand provide an extremely closelX adherent film or deposit upon heating. further advantage derived by the use of unglazed porcelain lies in the fact that glazes frequently craze and the presence of a craze crack transverse to the sealing band provides a'harmful leak.

When it is undesirable to pla entire reliance upon a soldered seal of the character hereinbefore set forth, use may be made of said seal to form a barrier to prevent the flow of sealing waxes or oils into the con- -a metal deposit around said insulating member and subsequently soldering said deposit to said metal member.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with an evacuated container provided with an openin in theV wall thereof, of means for closing said opening comprising a mass of insulatin material therein, said mass being provide with a metallic deposit on the surface thereof, and a layer of solder joining said deposit to the wall of said container. y

2. The combination with a closed container wherein the pressure is other than atmospheric, of means for introducing electric current thereinto comprising a conductor projecting through the wall thereof, and an insulating bushing interposed between said conductor and the wall of said container, said bushing bein provided with a superficial film of close y adherentmetal, and a layer of readily fusible metal joining said film to the wall of said container. y

3. The combination withy aclosed container wherein the pressure is other than atmospheric, of means for introducing electric current thereinto comprising a conductor projecting through the wallthereof and an insulating bushin inter osed between said conductor and t e wal of said conf tainer, said bushing being provided with a superficial film of closely adherent metal,

and a layer of readily fusible material joining said film to said conductor.

4. The combination with a closed contaiher wherein the pressure is other than atmospheric, of means for introducing electric current thereinto comprising a conductor projecting through the wall thereof, and an insulating bushin interposed between said conductor and the wall of said container, said bushing bein closely adherent metallic lm on each of two separated portions of the surface thereof, a.

layer of readil fusible metal joining one ofsaid films to t e wall of saidv container and an additional llayer of readily fusible metal joining the remaining film to said conductor.

5. The combination with a closed container wherein the pressure is other than atmospheric, of means for introducing electric current thereinto comprising a conductor projecting through the wall thereof, an insulating bushing interposed between said conductor and the wall of said container, said bushing being provided with two separate peripheral bands of metallic deposit, a layer of readily fusible metal 'oining one of said bands to the wall of sai container, and an additional layer of readil metal joining the remaining ban conductor.

6. The combination with a member proto said vvided with an opening therethrough, ofa

' material seated in said' mass of insulating u opening, a metallic deposit upon sald mass, a yielding sleeve surrounding said mass and joined to said member, and a layer of readily fusible metaljoining said sleeve to'said deposit and means for maintaining a difference of gaseous pressure between the two sides of said seal.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th day of Dec.

provided with a fusible 

